There are very few centres in the UK able to undertake specialised scoliosis surgery. The Scottish specialist spinal deformity service has made significant progress in reducing its overall waiting times, but there continue to be extended inpatient waiting times. It is not possible to offer the treatment elsewhere within the United Kingdom within a shorter wait. Average waiting times in specialist centres in England also extend beyond waiting time guarantees, and currently there is no capacity available within English NHS providers to accept referrals for patients from Scotland. We will therefore continue to focus on reducing waiting times in Scotland.

Local authorities report that 1,167 primary schools throughout Scotland (55%) are delivering at least two hours physical education. This is supported by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) who found year on year improvement in delivery of two hours physical education in primary schools - 32% of 237 schools inspected in 2007-08, 42% of 231 schools inspected in 2008-09 and 59% of 264 primary schools inspected in 2009-10.

85 schools throughout Scotland (23%) are delivering at least two hours physical education across S1 to S4. Seventeen authorities reported that they are either delivering or plan to deliver at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of core physical education across S1 to S4. This is supported by HMIE who found that 60% of 60 schools inspected in 2009/10 are delivering at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of physical education across S1 to S4. Further information can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/PE.

The quality of children and young people''s learning in physical education is evaluated and reported on in every school inspection. In every school inspection report HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) makes comment on whether or not the school is providing pupils with two hours physical education in line with national expectations. HMIE gathers evidence about the quality of experiences for learners and other factors such as staffing, resourcing and timetabling. Where it has concerns about the quantity and quality of pupil experiences in PE, it has further discussion with relevant staff about and around the school''s proposals to make the necessary adjustments.

In addition, through ongoing inspection tasks and ongoing work with education authorities, HMIE maintains a clear overview of progress towards the target and will periodically publish on its website a report on this progress for parents, elected members and the public. This ensures that inspection and reporting look not only at the quantitative aspects of PE but also consider the quality of the provision for children and young people.

Curriculum for Excellence places an emphasis on two hours of planned, timetabled, quality physical education for every pupil each week. It is for individual schools to decide, in the light of local needs and circumstances, what activities should be included in pupils two hours per week timetabled physical education experience and where these activities should take place.

In addition to planned physical education sessions, children and young people will participate in physical activity and sport in the classroom, during travel such as walking and cycling, in the outdoor environment and in the community.

The Active Schools Programme was established in 2004. The programme is designed to increase the number of opportunities for children to get engaged in physical activity and sport and develop links with sports clubs and other community organisations to give pupils a pathway to continue their participation in sport beyond school. This activity is over and above PE.

Active schools managers and coordinators are responsible for developing and supporting an infrastructure for active schools within the school and wider community. They do this by recruiting, supporting and sustaining a network of volunteers coaches, leaders and teachers who in turn deliver physical activity and sport before, during and after school and in the wider community.

sportscotland provided around £13 million to fund this programme in 2009-10 which supports over 450 Active Schools staff overseeing over 2,500 schools in all 32 local authority areas. Last year this delivered just under 5 million sessions (a 5% increase on the previous year) providing opportunities for young people to be physically active beyond PE.

It is vital that physical activity forms part of all young people''s lives and that there are appropriate opportunities to stimulate and develop interest and commitment that will provide a foundation for sustained physical activity throughout their lives. Our investment into sports governing bodies allows them to provide a range of programmes for children to take part in sport. In addition, we have invested into a number of targeted programmes which focus on providing opportunities for children in schools to take part in sport including our clubgolf and top-up swimming investments.

A new active schools monitoring system, introduced in 2008-09, which records physical activities and sport within individual primary and secondary school plans. Active schools managers are responsible for recording the data. The information collated includes the number of opportunities for children and young people to take part in sport and physical activity but excludes all curricular activity. As a result, it is difficult to compare data collected pre 2008-09 to subsequent collections.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28088 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28088 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

The Scottish Government is aware that patients are experiencing delays in accessing the scoliosis service. A review of the scoliosis service is currently being undertaken to address service issues. The review is due to be completed by February 2011.

Best Value 2 is the name of the approach that the Accounts Commission for Scotland is taking to its second phase of Best Value audits of local authorities in Scotland. The role of governing arrangements for Best Value audits for the Scottish Government, NHS bodies and other public bodies rests with the Auditor General for Scotland, not the Accounts Commission.

Audit Scotland has set out its approach to auditing Best Value on behalf of the Auditor General in the leaflets Auditing Best Value in Central Government Bodies and Auditing Best Value in the NHS that are available on Audit Scotland''s website at:

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/corp/2009/bv_audit_best_value_central_gov.pdf and

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/corp/2009/bv_audit_best_value_nhs.pdf.

The Scottish Government launched the Provenance on a Plate website in March 2010. This is a toolkit that includes advice and guidance to Scottish caterers on how to bring out the origin and provenance of the food and drink on their menus.

The Food Standards Agency (Scotland) was asked by the Scottish Government to produce simple and understandable origin labelling guidance to consumers. The Consumer Guide to Country of Origin Information on Food Labels provides consumers with the information needed to make informed decisions about the food and drink they purchase at retailers. This was launched in June 2010.

We also have a number of Scottish products registered under the EU Protected Food Names Scheme, including Scotch beef and Arbroath smokies. We continue to support producers to apply to protect more of our iconic Scottish produce.

The Scottish Government continues to press for mandatory origin labelling for food and drink products important to Scotland in the ongoing negotiations on the EU Provision of Food Information to Consumers Regulation.

We have also worked with the Scotch whisky industry to ensure that it is given the best possible protection in domestic and overseas markets. That is why regulations came into force in November 2009 to protect Scotch whisky''s geographical indication (GI) of provenance. For example, the First Minister welcomed earlier in November 2010 the announcement that Scotch whisky has been given GI in China.